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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954774">Acres of Longing, Mountains of Tenderness</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kapua/pseuds/Kapua'>Kapua</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Just the Beating of Hearts (Flash Challenge) [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Yennaia Flash Fiction Challenge (The Witcher), magic baby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:08:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954774</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kapua/pseuds/Kapua</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fill: Tissaia finds a way to cure Yennefer of her infertility, but the child is also undeniably hers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tissaia de Vries/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Just the Beating of Hearts (Flash Challenge) [14]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878580</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>139</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Acres of Longing, Mountains of Tenderness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For the flash fic challenge!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> When Tissaia shows up on her doorstep and offers her a cure for her infertility, Yennefer doesn't question it. Well she does, but only once:</p>
<p>"What strings are attached to this?"</p>
<p>And Tissaia just looks at her with a neutral expression (though Yennefer will think later when she remembers this moment that the smaller woman looked tired and a little pale) and replies, "None, if you don't want them." Which seems like a stupid answer, because when has Yennefer <em>ever</em> wanted strings attached? </p>
<p>So she takes the vial that Tissaia gives her and the older woman portals away without another word, leaving Yennefer standing there wondering what the fuck parallel universe she's fallen into where Tissaia de Vries is helping her without asking anything in return.</p>
<p>Ultimately, she decides not to look a gift horse in the mouth and downs the potion without a second thought.</p>
<p>Much later, she wonders whether that was such a good idea after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>###</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The pregnancy goes smoothly enough that Yennefer almost worries that it's too easy. Can it really be as simple as this after all her years of struggling to find a way?</p>
<p>Five months in, the baby kicks for the first time and it turns Yennefer's world upside down. It makes everything seem more real, somehow, and she's abruptly struck by the fact that she is about to have a whole human being solely dependent on her for all of its needs. She feels entirely unprepared, and she resolves to do as much research as possible. </p>
<p>She's going to do this right and make sure that this child has everything that she didn't.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>###</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She thinks of Tissaia more often than she would like throughout the pregnancy. She can't seem to banish the woman from her thoughts and dreams, but she figures it's a small price to pay in order to have this child. </p>
<p>Besides, she doesn't hate Tissaia the way that she used to. In fact, if Yennefer is being completely honest with herself, she thinks Tissaia is gorgeous and stupidly brilliant (and also completely out of reach).</p>
<p>So there are worse things than thinking about Tissaia, and she tells herself it'll probably stop when she has the baby.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>###</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The day of the birth is a blur. But the moment that is etched in Yennefer's mind forever is when the baby is finally, <em>finally</em> in her arms and she cradles it to her chest.</p>
<p>It's a girl, and there's a thick shock of black hair on her head as she stretches and blinks up at Yennefer. And as the babe's eyes open, Yennefer's heart catches in her throat, because they are a striking shade of blue that she <em>knows</em>. They're the same eyes that have haunted her dreams and thoughts for months, and all of a sudden she feels like she can't breathe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>###</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yennefer portals into Aretuza with her baby held snugly against her chest. The child is quiet as her mother storms down the halls until she reaches a very familiar study. She throws the door open and stomps inside, ignoring the flutter in her stomach when Tissaia stands from behind her desk to greet her.</p>
<p>"You would trust me with your child?"</p>
<p>And that's not what she meant to say, but it kind of sums everything up--her suspicion that this child is not just hers, but also Tissaia's, and also the aching question of <em>why</em> the other woman would do this. Tissaia stands there and looks at her, and Yennefer isn't sure when she started being able to tell the difference between Tissaia's expressions, but she can read the conflict writ across the woman's face as clear as day.</p>
<p>Tissaia finally sighs and looks away. "For all your flaws, Yennefer, you are not the selfish girl you once were. All of us are broken in some way, but that does not mean that we are any less deserving of happiness. So yes, I would trust you with this child."</p>
<p>The words wash over Yennefer like a soothing balm, easing the gnawing hurt in her chest and leaving her with nothing but confusion. She feels like she's missed something, because none of this makes any sense. Not the fact that Tissaia helped her, nor the way the smaller woman won't meet her gaze now.</p>
<p>Tissaia's response to her question about strings floats through her mind unbidden--<em>none, if you don't want them</em>--and the air is sucked from her lungs as she suddenly understands. She steps closer to Tissaia and reaches out carefully, slowly, until she can grasp the other woman's hand in hers.</p>
<p>"And what would your happiness ask?" she says quietly, and Tissaia finally looks up at her and Yennefer can see the answer in those bright blue eyes that match her daughter's. </p>
<p>"I would not bind you to me against your will," Tissaia says softly. Yennefer shakes her head and adjusts her hold on the baby so that she can lean forward and press her forehead against Tissaia's.</p>
<p>"And what if I want to be bound?"</p>
<p>A series of emotions flicker rapidly across Tissaia's face before Yennefer sees the start of a disbelieving smile hint at the corners of her mouth as she replies, "Then I'd say you had better kiss me."</p>
<p>So she does.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>###</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yennefer comes up behind Tissaia and wraps her arms around the smaller woman's waist as she rests her head on her shoulder and looks out at the scene in front of them. Their daughter, now four, is riding Geralt into battle with Jaskier, who is the designated dragon for the day. Peals of laughter ring out across the courtyard as she pretends to stab Jaskier and he falls to the ground in a dramatic heap. </p>
<p>"And to think you might have missed this," Yennefer whispers, turning her face so that it's buried in Tissaia's neck. The smaller woman hums and leans back into her.</p>
<p>"Lucky for me you didn't let that happen," she replies, and Yennefer thinks, </p>
<p>
  <em>Lucky for both of us.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Send me prompts and yell at me in the comments or on tumblr @kapuahiwahiwa! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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